'Friday Night Lights' Gets Monday Tryout

NBC will try to give its struggling drama "Friday Night Lights" an extra boost later this month by airing after the network's most successful new show.

On Monday, Oct. 30, NBC will air an original "Lights" episode at 10 p.m. ET, following "Heroes"; the episode will then repeat in the show's normal 8 p.m. Tuesday spot on Oct. 31. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," which usually airs at 10 p.m. Mondays (and was scheduled for a repeat that night), will get a week off.

The network has also ordered several more scripts for "Friday Night Lights," which doesn't necessarily mean a life for the show beyond its original 13-episode order but certainly isn't a bad thing. A Monday airing could presumably benefit some from promotion on NBC's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast the previous night.

Through its first three airings, "Friday Night Lights" -- based on the book and movie of the same name -- has averaged only about 6.6 million viewers. It did improve some this week after falling below the 6 million mark in its second airing.

It's hardly alone among NBC's new dramas in its ratings difficulties. The past two episodes of "Studio 60" have fallen below 9 million viewers, and "Kidnapped" has been shunted to Saturdays after drawing 6.5 million viewers in three Wednesday airings.

Only "Heroes," which is averaging better than 13 million viewers and is the season's top new show among adults 18-49, has been an unqualified success for the network thus far. NBC is undoubtedly hoping some of that will rub off on "Friday Night Lights" two Mondays from now.